A great LA fusion restaurant. Small portions...

A great LA fusion restaurant. Small portions and tight tables but the trade off is great food and interesting eavesdropping. Actually overhead a friend telling another friend how she needed a boob job and could recommend her surgeon. Only in LA!

Anyways, I have been to Orris twice and can’t wait to go back again. The service is very good. Honest – they didn’t recommend some dishes.

Little Plates With Enormous Flavor!

When my husband and I rave to others about the petite revamped Spaghetti House by Orris, they commonly inquired what the name means. After doing a bit of research, we found that the word “orris” is the root of the iris plant, which in age-old times it was combined with cinnamon and other spices to create love potions. Ironically, the name suits this establish-ment because when you dine at this eatery, you will feel, smell and taste love all around you. Don’t let the name on the building’s facade fool you, however. Just because it still says “Orris”, and because the menu says “Orris” when it’s presented to you, and your check says “Orris Restaurant” at the top, you ARE in deed at Spaghetti House by Orris!

Chef Hideo Yamashiro, known as Chef “Shiro” to most, closed down his original “Orris” restaurant at the quaint neighborhood location earlier this year in January. However, upon re-opening the same locale shortly thereafter, and renaming it Spaghetti House by Orris, it was transformed into a Japanese-essenced fusion pasta eatery. Chef Shiro also operates and owns Shiro restaurant in Pasadena, which we will HAVE to try on our next trek there. If the food at Spaghetti House by Orris is even the slightest indication of the experience of flavorsome cuisine we’ll find at Shiro, I know we’ll be happy to try it there as well.

Open for dinner only, and closed on Mondays, the open kitchen you will witness as you enter Spaghetti House by Orris is fun, bright and incredibly busy. At your first step through the front door, the savory aromas wafting throughout the restaurant will pull you inside and prove to your culinary intellengence that you have arrived at the right establishment for a meal not to soon be forgotten.

Above, Japanese glass bowls ornament the wall directly across from the open kitchen area, a glass of Cabernet before dinner, the chalk-written menu specials of the evening, a view of the kitchen staff in motion, the front of the menu, the posted sidewalk menu outside of the restaurant as you enter the establishment’s front patio, a view of one of the kitchen staff preparing a diner’s selection and a photo of the front patio dining space.

The menu is limited, but the selection will amaze your palate and visual senses. The dishes are pleasurable. Plain and simple. Chef Shiro is known for being “meticulously picky” about his fresh ingredients. The photos below are witness to that, and what we experienced at Spaghetti House by Orris recently…

Above and below, we started with Chef Shiro’s Salmon Croquettes. Quite a colorful and brilliant presentation. When cut into below, it just kept getting better. Delicious creamy salmon inside, a flavorful light crunch on the exterior texture and all around deliciousness! Other than my thinking about just a tiny spritz of lemon juice on these beautiful bites, they were sensational!

We then tried the Grilled Japanese Eggplant with Burrata and Parmesan below…tender slow-cooked eggplant, Burrata and Parmesan cheeses on top and flavor that just would not stop…

Below, the Albacore Cups really impressed me personally. Hitting a hight point with me, the arugula surrounding the endive filled with seared Albacore tuna was such a delightful treat…beneath all that arugula lies perfectly seared Albacore tuna resting in the fresh leaves of endive…

After tasting three different savory appetizers, we moved on to the entrees. Below, the Shrimp Mouse Ravioli in A Shiitake Mushroom Sauce…delicate ravioli casings filled with savory shrimp mousse heightened even more by the Shiitake mushroom sauce it was accompanied by. Perfection in a bowl…

Next, we tasted the Seafood Marinara dish below. A popular choice among locals at the restaurant and recommended by the waitstaff at the eatery…tender, perfectly-cooked sizeable scallops, shrimp and calamari intertwined with delicious and flavorful unforgettable marinara sauce and spaghetti with fresh tomatoes and basil…

Our next selection was the pasta with a braised meat sauce, which was phenomenal. My husband could not stop exclaiming his love of this dish as the evening progressed…

Below, the Mushrooms and Takana Mustard Greens with White Wine and Garlic was astounding. I chose this specifically, and my husband ate most of it before I could get back to it. A hidden sweetness, seemingly from caramelized onions in the dish, presented a refreshing flavor. A hearty and well-balanced finish…

We succumed to our sweet tooth after dinner by sharing a scoop of the Fogleman’s Chocolate Ice Cream. (Can I use the term “heaven in a bowl” twice in this article?) I especially liked the presentation…simple and effortless, the ice cream was served in a frosted dish that both served to keep the dessert cool as well as provide a visually-stimulating display…

The bottom line…we enjoyed our culinary endeavor when we dined at Spaghetti House by Orris. Would we go back? Yes, we would. The cuisine is delicious and meticulously presented, flavor abounds in everything and one can tell that careful planning and artistic flair went into each dish designed and created by Chef Shiro himself. We enjoyed our dinner and were happy to write this review about such a terrific little restaurant! (See full review with photos at SavorHour.com)

ESTABLISHMENT / DECOR: This eatery can get pretty packed, and reservations are not taken, so be prepared to wait a bit if you’re planning on dining here. There are tables on the covered front patio, but the waiters weren’t serving outside when we visited. The noise level inside was very loud, due to the acoustics of the small interior dining room. However, the colorful glass Japanese bowls hung on one wall, interior general feel of the place, business of the action in the open kitchen, aromas of the delicious dishes being prepared and finally, the flavor of the food ordered will force you to overlook the loudness of your neighbors dining around you.

FOOD / DRINK: Scrumptious cuisine, meticulous presentation, and well worth waiting if needed to get into this great little pasta house!

LOCATION: The restaurant is located at 2006 Sawtelle Boulevard in Los Angeles, CA 90025. It’s on the east side of Sawtelle Boulevard between Santa Monica and Olympic

HOURS: Spaghetti House by Orris is open only for dinner. Tuesday through Friday from 6 PM – 9:30 PM, Saturdays from 5:30 PM – 10:30 PM, Sundays from 5:30 PM – 9 PM, and the restaurant is closed on Mondays.

SERVICE / STAFF: Helpful, ready to answer questions and give suggestions is needed.

PRICE / VALUE: We feel the price is well worth the value of what you will get at this eatery.

CORKAGEFEE: $12 per bottle.

CONTACTINFO: Phone: (310) 268-2212, Website: www.orrisrestaurant.com

PARKING: Metered street parking is available. There is also parking behind the restaurant.

TOTALBILL: Our total bill for everything came to over $65, but we would definitely recommending the splurge. A party of two could easily go to dinner for under $50 (including tax) by ordering two entrees for $11 or $12 a piece, sharing an appetizer and also a dessert.

Orgasmic experience at Orris

I adore Orris. I first went here about two years ago with a friend who told me that it was one of his favorite spots in LA. I recently went back with another friend to use a 30% off discount coupon that I received, and again it was another stellar meal. We ordered five of their tapas / sharing plates as follows:

- FRIEDSQUASHBLOSSOMSSTUFFEDWITHSHRIMPWITHOLIVETAPENADE ON THESIDE: The zucchini blossoms were perfectly cooked – firm to the bite, yet soft enough to chew. Very fresh. The olive tapenade was an unusual combo but was delicious. Unlike many olive spreads / toppings in which the olive dominates the flavor, here the olive was mixed with a lot of sweet onions. There was also an additional sense of freshness, kind of like a tomato salsa, from the use of fresh herbs, etc.

- TEMPURASHRIMPWITHCURRYSAUCEANDSEASALT: Wonderful, light and crispy batter and juicy shrimp. The curry sauce was spicy, sweet, and earthy from cumin, chili powder, and other spices. Delightful.

- BASILMARINATEDCODWITHBASILMASHEDPOTATOESANDZUCCHINI: The cod was unbelievably tender and moist and the skin was crispy! The skin even developed a kind of sweet and salty caramelization, which was a perfect with the subtle cod flavor. The basil mashed potatoes were a bit odd, but the braised zucchini was buttery and sweet yet light.

- SHRIMPMOUSSERAVIOLIWITHSHITAKEMUSHROOMSAUCE: This is the best mushroom sauce on the planet. The cream is given depth with the shitakes, shellfish stock, and a bit of soy. They even provide you with bread to mop up the sauce, and believe me, you won’t want any to go to waste! Plus, the ravioli is tender and melds delicately with the sauce. Amazingly, the shrimp mousse has texture and isn’t gushy the way most ravioli fillings are. To die for.

- FOISGRASANDJAPANESEEGGPLANTWITHSWEETSOY: This is my favorite fois gras dish ever. The fois gras is lightly seared after being bathed in sweet soy. Super rich and melts in your mouth. The Japanese eggplant is juicy, sweet, and refreshing. In a nutshell, it’s “love on a plate.”

I’d also say that the waitstaff is wonderful. They are very good about answering questions about the dishes, and are attentive without being pesky. I also appreciate how my water glass was constantly refilled without my asking. =)

With tax and tip (no drinks ordered), we each paid only $26 for this amazing meal after using my discount and we were quite full. Even before the discount, it would have cost us each about $35 a piece. Amazing. Depending on how much you order, I’d expect to pay anywhere from $35 – 50, including tax and tip. Not a cheapo place, but given the quality, creativity, and service, it’s a far better deal than other high end restaurants in LA. The two main drawbacks of this place are: 1) no reservations, and you will typically have to wait, especially on Thurs – Sun evenings, and 2) parking on Sawtelle can be frustrating. But all in all, I’d give it a 4.5 stars and it’s definitely a must-go.

Dishes I tried:

Basil marinated Black Cod

4.0 star rating

The cod was unbelievably tender and moist and the skin was crispy! The skin even developed a kind of sweet and salty caramelization, which was a perfect with the subtle cod flavor. The basil mashed potatoes were a bit odd, but the braised zucchini was buttery and sweet yet light.

Curry-infused Shrimp Tempura

4.0 star rating

Wonderful, light and crispy batter and juicy shrimp. The curry sauce was spicy, sweet, and earthy from cumin, chili powder, and other spices. Delightful.

Squash Blossoms

4.0 star rating

The squash blossoms were perfectly cooked – firm to the bite, yet soft enough to chew. Very fresh. The olive tapenade was an unusual combo but was delicious. Unlike many olive spreads / toppings in which the olive dominates the flavor, here the olive was mixed with a lot of sweet onions. There was also an additional sense of freshness, kind of like a tomato salsa, from the use of fresh herbs, etc.

FOIS GRAS AND JAPANESE EGGPLANT WITH SWEET SOY

5.0 star rating

: This is my favorite fois gras dish ever. The fois gras is lightly seared after being bathed in sweet soy. Super rich and melts in your mouth. The Japanese eggplant is juicy, sweet, and refreshing. In a nutshell, it’s “love on a plate.”st-go.

Ravioli

5.0 star rating

SHRIMPMOUSSERAVIOLIWITHSHITAKEMUSHROOMSAUCE: This is the best mushroom sauce on the planet. The cream is given depth with the shitakes, shellfish stock, and a bit of soy. They even provide you with bread to mop up the sauce, and believe me, you won’t want any to go to waste! Plus, the ravioli is tender and melds delicately with the sauce. Amazingly, the shrimp mousse has texture and isn’t gushy the way most ravioli fillings are. To die for.

Tasty tapas w/ a Japanese flair

Orris Restaurant offers tasty tapas w/ a Japanese flair. From the grilled scallops to the rare sliced lamb loin, paired w/ reasonably priced wine menu, a healthy meal at Orris will put a smile on your face. We also enjoyed the seared/smoked sliced duck loin, manila clams steamed in sake infused broth; seated at the bar overlooking the open kitchen was quite a treat. Street parking can be tough during peak dinner hrs.

Comments

Orris Is a westside treasure!

I am picky and have traveled the world tasting the arts of various great chefs. Shiro, the master chef owner of this world class small plates restaurant is probably the most creative but rigorous chef of all.
This is light, healthy haute…